Patriot Software
Wave
| Feature | Patriot Software | Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $17/mo | Free / from $16/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | us-small-businesses, startups, solopreneurs, small-employers | freelancers, solopreneurs, micro-businesses, side-hustlers |
| Founded | 2002 | 2010 |
| Accounting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Payroll | ✓ | ✗ |
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bank Reconciliation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Financial Reports | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct Deposit | ✓ | ✗ |
| Receipt Scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bank Connections | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll Addon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payments Addon | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Patriot Software Pros
- Very affordable pricing
- US-based phone support
- Easy to use interface
- Combined accounting and payroll
✗ Patriot Software Cons
- US-only
- Limited integrations
- Basic reporting compared to competitors
✓ Wave Pros
- Core accounting and invoicing completely free
- Unlimited income and expense tracking
- Receipt scanning with OCR included
- Simple enough for non-accountants
✗ Wave Cons
- Payroll and payments are paid add-ons
- No inventory or project tracking
- Limited integrations compared to competitors
The Verdict
Patriot Software is built for us small businesses and startups, with a focus on accounting and payroll. Wave targets freelancers and solopreneurs and leads with accounting and invoicing.
Pricing is close: Wave starts at $16/mo versus $17/mo for Patriot Software — not a deciding factor on its own.
Wave has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Patriot Software requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Wave offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Patriot Software takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for solopreneurs — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.